April 25: I Am with You Always
♫ Music:
Day 52 - Friday, April 25
Title: I Am with You Always
Scripture: Matthew 28:16–20 (NKJV)
Then the eleven disciples went away into Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had appointed for them. When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”
Poetry & Poet:
“I Am With You Always”
by Malcolm Guite
Your final words fulfill your ancient name,
A promise hidden in Emmanuel,
A promise that can never fade or fail:
I will be with you till the end of time;
I will be with you when you scale the height
And with you when you fall to earth again,
With you when you flourish in the light,
And with you through the shadow and the pain.
Our God with us, you leave and yet remain
Risen and hidden with us everywhere;
Hidden and flowing in the wine we share,
Broken and hidden in the growing grain.
Be with us till we know we are forgiven
Be with us here till we’re with you in heaven.
I AM WITH YOU ALWAYS
I recently reached a noteworthy milestone: I turned sixty years old. People say age is just a number, but this number testifies to a certain longevity. You made it this far! My continued existence is not based on my own strength, but on God's mercy to let me live another day; it also rests on a faith that gives me the right attitude when things go awry. One child who keeps speaking into my life lately is a boy from an advertisement for the evening news who says, while surrounded by the devastation of the California wildfires, "I say to myself," he says sagely, "it's not about me." This boy's parents have surely done something right in his upbringing: putting others above self is the way of Christ, and to realize this at such a young age shows promise for a future filled with people whose lives are other-oriented. Knowing that God is behind our attempts to serve others rather than be concerned only with our own circumstances can be joyfully pursued when we realize that God is always there for us, and we can be there for others.
Another memorable statement overheard recently occurred during last January's Fire Aid benefit concert in Los Angeles. In a video honoring first responders who risked their own lives to assist people in the path of the Eaton fire, another youth exhibiting the vibrant unselfconscious wisdom of his age made this memorable statement: "When God gives you lemons and a burnt house, you make lemonade." That kind of trust and positivity is hard to come by. Jesus promised his followers that once a relationship with Him has been established, it will last for eternity. While buildings may burn and crumble, while the shorelines may be filled with toxic debris representing thousands of lives forever scarred by tragedy, Jesus never forsakes his children, no matter how catastrophic circumstances might seem.
Our artwork for today's devotional, photographs of the minimalist lines and spaces of architect Tadao Ando's Church of the Light in Ibaraki, Japan, are designed to embody structurally what haiku poetry does with words––Ando creates a place of comfort and rest within a building that gains its dynamism from the spaces between walls that allow natural light to slip through. In relation to today's theme, there is no place in this sanctuary where the cross will not both penetrate and permeate the atmosphere. This church expresses architecturally the concept that God is light, and that the Light will be the redemption of the world. This house of worship beautifully reflects physically the language of Malcom Guite's poem, "I Am with You Always": "Our God with us, you leave and yet remain / Risen and hidden with us everywhere" (Guite, 9-10). Similarly, the lyrics for today's musical selection by Melody and Keith Green also emphasize the eternal nature of our relationship with God:
"When I stand in glory
I will see His face,
And there I’ll serve
My King forever,
In that holy place."
Prayer:
Lord of comfort and mercy, please allow us to always appreciate the myriad ways you sustain us each and every day and year and decade of our lives.
Amen
Dr. Marc Malandra
Professor of English
Biola University
For more information about the artwork, music, and poetry selected for this day, we have provided resources under the “About” tab located next to the “Devotional” tab.
About the Art:
Church of the Light (multiple views)
Tadao Ando
1989–1999
Architects: Tadao Ando Architect & Associates
Ibarkai-Shi, Japan
In the small town of Ibaraki, Japan, stands one of architect Tadao Ando’s signature architectural works, the Church of the Light. The church embraces Ando’s philosophical framework between nature and architecture through the way in which light can define and create new spatial perceptions. For Ando, the Church of Light is an architecture of duality—the dual nature of existence—solid/void, light/dark, stark/serene. The coexisting differences leave the church void of any ornament, thereby creating a pure, unadorned space. The space of the chapel is defined by light, the strong contrast between light and solid. In the chapel, light enters from behind the altar from a cross cut in the concrete wall that extends vertically from floor to ceiling and horizontally from wall to wall, aligning perfectly with the joints in the concrete. At this intersection of light and solid the occupant is meant to become aware of the deep division between the spiritual and the secular within themselves. Ando believes that the emptiness of the chapel is meant to invade the occupant so there is room for the spiritual to fill them.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_of_the_Light
https://www.archdaily.com/101260/ad-classics-church-of-the-light-tadao-ando
About the Artist/Architect:
Tadao Ando (b. 1941) is a Japanese self-taught architect. Ando's architectural style is said to create a "haiku" effect, emphasizing nothingness and empty space to represent the beauty of simplicity. As an architect, he believes that architecture can change society, that "to change the dwelling is to change the city and to reform society.” Besides Japanese religious architecture, Ando has also designed Christian churches, such as the Church of the Light. Although Japanese and Christian churches display distinct characteristics, Ando treats them like he does other buildings, believing that there should be no difference in designing religious architecture and houses.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tadao_Ando
About the Music: “There is a Redeemer” from the album My Redeemer
Lyrics:
There is a redeemer,
Jesus, God's own Son.
Precious Lamb of God,
Messiah, Holy One.
Jesus my redeemer,
Name above all names,
Precious Lamb of God,
Messiah oh, for sinners slain.
Thank You, oh my Father
For giving us Your Son.
And leaving Your Spirit ,
'Til the work on Earth is done.
When I stand in glory,
I will see His face.
And there I'll serve my King,
Forever in that holy place.
Thank you oh, my Father.
For giving us your Son.
And leaving your spirit,
‘Til the work on earth is done.
There is a Redeemer
Jesus, God's own son
Precious Lamb of God, Messiah
Holy One.
Thank you oh, my Father
For giving us your Son.
And leaving your spirit.
“Til the work on earth is done.
And leaving your spirit
“Til the work on earth is done.
About the Composer:
Keith Green (1953–1982) was an American contemporary Christian music pianist, singer, and songwriter originally from Brooklyn, New York. Beyond his music, Green is best known for his strong devotion to Christian evangelism and challenging others to fully commit their lives to the Lord. Often considered controversial for his frequently confrontational lyrics and spoken messages, he wrote some notable songs alone and with his wife, Melody Green, including “Your Love Broke Through,” “You Put This Love in My Heart,” and “Asleep in the Light.” Green is also known for numerous popular modern hymns, including “There is a Redeemer.” Green was tragically killed in an airplane accident when he was only twenty-eight years old.
http://www.lastdaysministries.org
About the Performer:
Singer-songwriter Matthew Ward (b. 1958) is one of the pioneers of contemporary Christian music. He is best known as a part of the trio 2nd Chapter of Acts, in which he sang and performed with his sisters, Annie Herring and Nellie (Ward) Greisen. During his musical career with the 2nd Chapter of Acts from 1973 to 1988, he also recorded solo albums. In 1988, after sixteen years of touring and over one thousand concerts, 2nd Chapter of Acts prayerfully retired as a group. Matthew then launched his solo career in earnest. Throughout his career, Ward has received a number of honors. He has been inducted into the Gospel Music Hall of Fame of the Gospel Music Association. He was honored with a Dove Award. Matthew has also had the privilege of helping lead five hundred thousand men in worship as part of the 1996 Promise Keepers praise team. These days, Matthew still continues to share in music both nationally and internationally.
https://www.matthewward.com/
About the Poetry and Poet:
Malcolm Guite (b. 1957) is a poet, author, Anglican priest, teacher, and singer-songwriter based in Cambridge, England. He has published six collections of poetry: Saying the Names, The Magic Apple Tree, Sounding the Seasons: Poetry for the Christian Year, The Singing Bowl, Waiting on the Word, and the recently released Parable and Paradox: Sonnets on the Sayings of Jesus and Other Poems. Rowan Williams and Luci Shaw have both acclaimed his writing, and his Antiphons appeared in Penguin’s Best Spiritual Writing, 2013. Guite’s theological works include What Do Christians Believe? and Faith, Hope, and Poetry: Theology and the Poetic Imagination. Guite is a scholar of J. R. R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, and the British poets, and serves as the bye-fellow and chaplain at Girton College at the University of Cambridge, while supervising students in English and theology. He lectures widely in England and the USA, and in 2015 he was the CCCA visionary-in-residence at Biola University. Guite plays in the Cambridge rock band Mystery Train and his albums include The Green Man and Dancing Through the Fire.
https://malcolmguite.wordpress.com/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malcolm_Guite
About the Devotion Writer:
Dr. Marc Malandra
Professor of English
Biola University
Marc Malandra is a professor of English at Biola University. Malandra teaches courses in American literature, composition, and creative writing. His poetry and scholarship have appeared in over three dozen publications. He attends EV Free Fullerton Church and lives in Brea, California, with his wife, Junko, college-aged children, Noah and Sasha, and their cat, Tora.